Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-08-11
EASTERN NEWS.
Appalling Reports from
the Northwest.
AN OPPORTUNE RAINFALL.
Inquiry Into the Affairs of the
Cincinnati, Hamilton and
Dayton Railroad.

ASSOCluttu EItSS DlSpdtthSo W INV
CHICAGO, August 10.-The telegraph
wires crossing the vast area of country
that has been parching and blackening
for lack of rain brought only news OF
despair this morning and messages re-
ceiyed from all the different sections
showed the outlook even worse than
twenty-four hours before. The tele-
grams contain the information that not
particle of rain has descended in all
the immense stretch of territory. Ad-
ded to this, the temperature through
out the drought region is rising.
PRAIRIE FIRES.
A prairie fire which promises to do
great damage started near Thirty
ninth street and Blanchard avenue,
one mile west of the Union stock
yards about one O'Clock this afternoon.
The Lake Fire Department has gone
to the scene. The fire started from
the spark of locomotive and it is not
known whether any buildings are en-
dangered, but the inhammable condi-
ton of the grass makes the fire a
serious matter.
REVIEW OF THE SITUATION.
In reviewing the drouth situation
the Journal says tonight: The out
look for the agriculturists of Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa and the southern por-
ton of Michigan and Wisconsin is
gloomy in the extreme. These terri
tories have been for fourteen months
subject to visitation of drouth with
parallel that cannot be found in
many years. During the past few
weeks this state of things has been
intensified in the districts mentioned
and much injury to the growing crops
has resulted. The destruction is not
uniform, though where the crops were
planted late in the season the owners
will probably not realize the cost Of
the planting of necessary food for live
stock.
FARM PRODUCTS EFFECTED.
There will be an appalling dearth and
the prices of milk, meat, butter,
cheese and other farm products may
be expected to rise to an unprece-
dented height.
OUTLOOK FOR TRADE.
The effects for year to come will
be felt in all quarters--trade and busi-
ness as well. In the agricultural dis
tricts the railroads will feel it as the
grain will not be there to ship
neither will fattened stock be there to
haul to the central markets.
SELLING OUT.
Already farmers are disposing OF
herds of half-fatted swine, and even
horses and cows are being disposed of
at % per cent off their ordinary value.
A large burden will fall upon the
shoulders Of the people next year.
VAIL FROM MICHIGAN.
DETROIT, Mich, August 10.-A gen.
tleman who travelled yesterday through
the burning "thumb" of the lower
Michigan peninsula, says that meadow
and brush fires are everywhere.
Acres of cut grain and miles offencing
have been destroyed. A number OF
barns and cattle are reported burned
in the interior, but definite news is
not yet received.
DWELLINGS IN DANGER.
At night the scene is wild and weird.
Only isolated houses stand in the CEN
ter of the burning fields and their
destruction seems certain. AT times
the town of Badaxe seemed doomed,
but sudden change of the wind
drove the fire away. At the straits OF
Mackinaw the smoke is dense. Much
trouble is experienced by vesselmen
in making the passage. In many
parts of the State the fires are small
and scattered, but the total loss will
be heavy.
RAIN AT LAST.
MILWAUKEE, August 10.-A rain
storm, pretty general throughout the
Northwest, occurred last night, and
reports from number of districts in
Northern Wisconsin are to the effect
that rain has checked the progress OF
the flames.
EFFECT ON THE CROPS
WASHINGTON, August 10.-The gov
ernment bureau reports that owing to
the long drought in the Ohio and Mis-
souri, river valleys the national aver
age OF the corn crop has fallen from
97.7 to S0.7. The general average of
the spring wheat crop is 7S, twopoints
less than in August last year. In the
Central States and on the Pacific coast
the condition Of spring wheat is high
er. The potato crop has fallen off 20
per cent since July. The fruit crop is
very poor. There will be few apples
outside of New England and New
York. The general average of the
hay crop in the West is 80.
IVES, INDEBTEDNESS.